Nightmare
by The Black Chocobo Knight
Summary: In which Korra has a nightmare, and Tenzin goes to her rescue. Lessons are learned, bonds are strengthened. Oneshot. Tenzin x Korra


Oh dear god, I'm alive.

Hi everyone, I hope everyone's enjoying Legend of Korra as much as I am. I just adore Tenzin.

So if things don't make some sense canon wise, it's because this was written before the season was aired...and after I saw the first two episodes online.

So enjoy!

I don't own anything remotely this cool.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" Pema asked the young Avatar for the umpteenth time as the airbending family settled down in their home on Air Temple Island. It was very late, and the couple had just put their young children to bed. There was a Fire Ferret tournament earlier in the evening and much to the pleasure of Korra, Tenzin had brought his whole family to watch her.

She smiled as the early memories replayed in her head; she shone with pride during her rounds. However, the tournament ran later than usual and now the teenager was just plain exhausted. The airbending children were so tired that they fell asleep on the ferry! And each of the adults, Tenzin, Pema and Korra, were tasked with bringing a youngling in the house. And to be honest as she carried Meelo, Korra wished she fell asleep with them.

Korra yawned, and stumbled as she threw herself out of balance. She was steadied as a large hand grabbed her shoulder. She looked up into Tenzin's gentle amused expression.

"Thanks Pema," she said biting back another yawn, "But I really just want to go to bed…"

"Let the girl go," Tenzin said, gently pushing his charge in the direction of her room, "She's almost asleep on her feet!" Korra smiled, embarrassed, but she was too tired to tease her mentor back. Pema frowned.

"Well ok…but are you sure you don't want us to tend to your wounds Korra?"

"What wounds?" Korra and Tenzin said together, looking at each other at the same time.

"You got thrashed around quite a bit tonight, are you sure you don't want ice, or bandages or—"

"Peeeeemmmaaaa," Korra groaned throwing her head back, "I wasn't hit that hard, if anything I'll have a bruise or two…nothing worse than that airbending contraption Tenzin makes me go through…"

Tenzin chucked softly as Korra shot him a half-hearted glare, "Anyway, I'm exhausted. I just want to sleep. Pleeaaasssee?"

"Well, if you say you aren't hungry and you're not hurt…"

"Pema!" Tenzin interjected, "You worry too much. Korra needs sleep. She'll need the energy when she has to wake up for practice tomorrow." He slyly ignored the look of horror on his young one's face. "What? Just because you had a match tonight, does not exclude you out of airbending practice."

Korra just groaned, "Awww man…"

Pema chuckled, "Fine. Don't listen to the pregnant woman. Off to bed with you." Both adults laughed at the look of relief on the Avatar's face. Korra dashed to give Pema a hug and then bowed sarcastically and playfully to Tenzin, which he only raised an eyebrow at. As the teenager disappeared in the hall, Tenzin went over and pulled his wife into his arms. He rested one of his large hands on her stomach, reveling in the life inside her.

"You're such good mother," he whispered, tucking her head under his chin.

"Well, I've decided that Korra is our child too, as long as she's here."

"Have you now?"

"Oh, don't tell me you don't think so too, Tenzin," she said, lightheartedly slapping his hand away, "She's still so young, Avatar or not, and needs our guidance; you through her Avatar journey, and me whenever she needs a mother."

Tenzin laughed, "I don't know if she'll always appreciate that, but I'm sure she will eventually."

"Oh I know. She's a teenager. They naturally resent authority."

"Tell me about it."

This time it was Pema's turn to give a rich laugh, "She'll listen in the end."

"She is unremarkably stubborn."

"Just think of it as practice dear," she patted her husband's chest, "For when our three hit their teenage years." Pema gave another laugh when her Tenzin emitted a heavy sigh. She patted his chest again.

"Alright Tenzin, pregnant lady's tired," she lifted her hands almost like a child, "Carry me to bed."

Tenzin smiled and shook his head. A quick work of master airbending and his wife was nestled safely in his arm.

"As you wish, my dear."

And the exhausted couple made their way to bed.

-_A few hours later_-

When Korra when to bed, she was out before she hit the pillow. She barely had the energy to change in her sleep attire before just collapsing on her fluffy reprieve. It was a nice needed sleep, but now she started to toss and turn. Her dreams were morphing from the joyous probending match she was winning by herself to something she never saw before. Fear filled her sleeping form.

* * *

-_Korra's dream_-

Korra wasn't sure what was going on. There was fighting all around her, and smoke filled the sky. She felt weird, her perspective was different…she felt shorter.

She blinked and squinted, her world was blurry.

'_Where am—_' she couldn't complete that though as she was blasted backwards. She flew several feet from where she was standing and hit the dry ground hard. She gasped and cried out as the force of impact drew her breath from her lungs. Coughing, she struggled to get up but another strong blow threw her back again. Korra laid there trembling, trying to recover as her arms singed with painful burns.

_'Burns? Burns! Firebending!'_ As she got up she tried to muster her firebending skills and was utterly shocked when nothing happened. Her eyes widened.

_'What's going on? Why can't I bend?' _She felt ill as fear grew in her body as a figure approached her slowly through the ashes. The masculine figure was shirtless and had a broad, well defined chest. Korra squinted again, trying to make out his face. He looked familiar. The black hair and facial hair was ringing a bell, but everything was blurry and she couldn't figure it out. The man firebended towards her again, as he sent a volley of burning blows her way. This time, her body reacted and dodged using –much to her surprise- airbending techniques that she had not mastered yet. Something else though, had Korra standing on her toes.

_'This man's firebending…'_ she thought as she frantically dodged fire blow after fire blow. This man's fire was hotter than she ever experienced, as if it were fueled by pure rage. Korra could feel the fury in each flame and she felt her face burning just from dodging. She lost her balance and tripped, leaving an opening that her assailant gladly took advantage of. Korra was caught, helpless as her body did not respond to her commands, taking hit after hit of burning anger.

She cried out after each hit, her pride and confidence gone as she felt truly helpless against her opponent.

_'Stop it! Help me! Mom, Dad! Help! Daddy! Anybody, please! Tenzin! Tenzin! Tenzin please!'_ Her cries were in vain as the attacker finished his combo with a particularly nasty uppercut underneath her ribcage. She bounced on the ground, bruised and burned, but this time she felt her body get up with a flurry of airbending.

_'I can't—' _another incomplete thought as her airbending changed to waterbending. Korra shot water strike after water strike to her opponent, bending it to ice and trapping him in a frosty trap.

Dialogue was exchanged, but she couldn't understand it. And she definitely didn't recognize the voice that came out of her mouth. But before she could try and piece together what was happening, the firebended burst out of the ice. Korra felt herself run to get away from this enraged man. As she ducked behind a rock to catch her breath, she was able to look at herself in shrapnel of ice.

Her blood went cold. It wasn't her face staring, frightened back at her.

It was a young boy, bald with a blue arrow tattooed on his forehead.

_'Avatar…'_ it really wasn't a good time for thinking as the current setting disappeared before her thought was finished. This time Korra was in a black abyss, in her own body, starring at a different man. This man was tall, lean, with some facial hair around his chin and with the same eyes of the boy she just saw.

_ 'Avatar Aang…'_ Korra eyes went wide and her jaw dropped as her past life stood calm before her. Before she could speak again, Avatar Aang placed a hand on her shoulder.

_'Shhhhh…'_

_-End dream-_

* * *

Tenzin felt like he had just lain down when he was roused from his sleep later into the night. Suppressing a groan and the urge to ignore whatever had disturbed him and fall back asleep, he raised himself off the bed, ears lazily trained to the sounds of the house.

"Tenzin!" The Airbending master shot straight up, as his name broke through quiet serenity of night. His name was called again, and he realized with alarm it was coming from Korra's end of the building.

Quickly, without disturbing his sleeping wife, he made his way to his charges quarters. Fearful cries and whimpers became louder with each step closer.

Tenzin blew the doors open with a gust of air.

"Korra!" he called, worry in his tone as he frantically looked around the room, only to find his student on her bed.

Tenzin watched as his apprentice cried out in fear, sweating and breathing quite laboriously, locked in a ghastly nightmare. Tears escaped her tightly closed eyes and streamed down her face as she called out for her parents and for him, begging anybody to come to whatever aid she was dreaming about. The girl was thrashing around on the bed, switching between desperately clutching the sheets and frantically holding herself.

"Korra," he laid a hand on her shoulder as he sat down beside her on the bed. He gave her a light shake, "Korra wake up! It's only a dream. Wake up!" The girl just moaned and withdrew into herself.

"Korra!" he barked louder, "It's a dream Korra, wake up!" Tenzin gave her a rougher shake and was rewarded when she shot up with cry.

Korra's eyes were wide as she frantically looked around the room; her breathing was coming out in short strangled gasps. Tenzin, who almost fell off the bed, placed a gently hand on her back. It had the opposite reaction desired and the Avatar whimpered and scooted back into the head board, fist flying and eyes filled with fear.

"No! Don't come any closer!" She cried as Tenzin carefully avoided her wild blows. He was lucky that she was too out of it to resort to bending, or he'd be in trouble, "Please! Stay away! Leave me alone!"

Tenzin's heart melted at the desperate plea in the young girl's tone as he realized that she was still stuck in her dream.

"Korra!" He grabbed her biceps and held her still, "Korra! Listen, it's me, Tenzin. It was just a dream. Korra, its Tenzin. Korra!" Tenzin watched as she stilled, the dark cloud of the nightmare cleared from her eyes.

"Tenzin…" she croaked, voice harsh from a night of screaming, "Tenzin…I…" The Airbending Master loosened his grip, but still held on. He felt the girl would collapse if he let go. Korra panted heavily as she looked around the room, the events of the dream still fresh in her mind, her eyes rested on the worried gaze of her teacher.

"Korra, what happened?" Tenzin bent his head to look closer at his charge only to have her look away; he could see her eyes fill with fresh tears.

"Look at me Korra, don't hold this in," he commanded sharply and she snapped her head up to him, "What happened?" He released her, but replaced his hand to her back, supporting her.

Korra felt the tears spill over her cheeks, and she choked on her shallow breaths. Tenzin patted her back gently.

"Tell me Korra," he whispered, "What did you dream?"

Korra sobbed out the details of her dream, and it was a feat that Tenzin could decipher the nonsense that came out of her mouth. After she was done, Korra raised an arm to her eyes, covering her eyes. It was then that Tenzin brought her close, wrapping his strong arms around her. If it was possible, she broke down even more. Korra hid her face in her master's chest and clutched at his robes.

"I was so scared," she cried, "I couldn't do anything, not bend or move…I was so helpless." Tenzin just hugged her tighter, rubbing her back in calming circles.

"It's ok Korra," he soothed, "Calm down, you're alright now." She just cried all the more and Tenzin was content to hold her as she got this out of her system. He couldn't help remember his wife's words from earlier in the evening. This definitely wasn't his normal student he held in his arms, which was always so defiant and head strong. This was the side she hid from the world, hid from him, so vulnerable and exposed.

"I didn't know what to do," she sobbed to his chest, "I was so afraid, so scared…"

"It's not a sin to be afraid, Korra," he whispered gently. She groaned distraughtly into his chest. Tenzin just did to her as he did to his own children when they came to him with bad dreams. As he continued to hold her and whisper calming things to her, he was able to put together what she told him. _This dream,_ he thought,_ was no ordinary dream._

Not long after, he felt her sobs subside but noticed her breathe was still catching in irregular patterns. He pried the hysterical teenager away from him and gently cupped her cheek, gently forcing her red puffy eyes to meet his.

"Korra," he said gently but sternly, "Korra, you have to calm down, or else you're going to make yourself sick."

She made a noise somewhere between a choke and a hiccup, but nodded.

"Deep breathes Korra. Its ok, you're safe. You're safe." Korra nodded again, not trusting her voice, and started to take deep, shaky breaths. Tenzin wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close again, encouraging her to lean on him.

"Good girl," he paused for a bit before continuing, "You know, this dream is actually a good thing."

"How," she rasped, raising her head.

"I'm sure you will realize, but this was your first spiritual encounter with Avatar Aang."

"Then why…why was it so…so…" Korra trailed off, struggling to find the right word.

"Brutal?" Tenzin offered, "Perhaps just like how you tend to grasp the physical concepts better than mystical, my father decided to introduce himself with a re-enactment of his battle with Phoenix King Ozai."

"I could feel everything," Korra whispered and shivered, "It hurt…and I couldn't do anything." Tenzin gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"I have a feeling that you'll meet my father again soon; he'll be able to explain why he chose this way."

"Don't get mad at me when I sock him then…" Tenzin laughed, now this was his Korra!

"I won't. I promise."

Tenzin remained with Korra in his embrace for some moments more, just to make sure she wasn't going to send herself into another panic attack. He felt the young girl slump against him, and a quick look down told him his student was exhausted.

"All right, time for bed Korra." Tenzin guided her back into a more comfortable position, and then tucked her in like he did earlier that evening with his own children.

"About practice tomorrow," he said as she gave a huge yawn, "Let's delay for an hour."

"Really?"

"Yes, really", he chuckled softly at the look of relief behind those sleepy eyes. He patted her head.

"Goodnight Korra."

" Night…Tenzin…"

She was asleep before he closed the door.

* * *

-The Next Morning-

The rest of Korra's night was spent dreamless, albeit a bit restless. She woke up with a major headache and her eyes glued shut with dried tears. Still, the extra hour Tenzin gave her, though short, was needed.

She froze.

Tenzin.

The events of the previous night flew back into perspective and she felt her face grow hot with shame. As she walked towards the meditation pier, Korra couldn't help wince at how she behaved last night. Crying all over her master and clinging to him like a child.

Korra came upon the Airbender shortly and stopped a few feet behind him. Tenzin was deep in meditation, a trance she knew could only be obtained within a few hours.

Which means, Tenzin was already out early per usual, no delay like he gave her. Her shame grew. Swallowing hard, she rolled down her sleeves of her airbending robes. She usually liked to roll them up, to which Tenzin would always roll them back down.

Korra bit her lip. He was up with her half the night with her, when she was being the biggest baby in the world, and he still came up here on time.

"Ahem," she coughed softly, "Um…Tenzin? I'm…here." The Airbending Master immediately turned his head, and gave a soft smile. He got up and made his way to his student.

"Ah Korra," he greeted her pleasantly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I trust you are feeling better this morning?"

Korra looked up at him, and they both saw the dark circles under each other's eyes. She bit her lip again. She was such a horrible person.

"Yeah, uh listen," she averted her eyes, finding the dirt more interesting than her mentors caring gaze, "About last night…I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that." Tenzin narrowed his eyes.

"Acted like what?"

"Like a little kid."

Tenzin sighed and placed two fingers under her chin and forced her face up to his.

"Korra listen, you didn't act like a child. You had a relatively terrifying experience. You handled it quite naturally."

Korra winced as memories of the sound of her harsh sobbing filled her ears, "But I'm the Avatar, I'm supposed to be strong—"

"But not inhumane," Tenzin cut her off, "You're only seventeen Korra, you're still allowed to cry every now and then. There's no need to be ashamed at this."

She felt her eyes prickle at this, but held the tears back. She had enough of crying for the moment.

"Thank you Tenzin," she whispered. He patted her shoulder.

"No thanks are necessary. But listen Korra," his voice carried a stern undertone, "I don't want you holding those kinds of feelings in. It's not healthy. Please, I want you to come to Pema or myself. Even if it's a nightmare and you need to cry. Promise me."

Korra felt heat rise to her face but mumbled her promise.

"Good!" Tenzin chuckled, "You've made a great accomplishment, your first encounter with the spiritual side of being the Avatar. I'm very proud of you."

Her eyes widened, and she felt her heart swell at his statement. She was still unsure what to make of the dream, and a little shaken from it. But Tenzin announcing his pride filled her with enough hot fluffy air that she thought she was going to float. Korra gave him a bright energetic smile, and before she could think of what she was doing, she launched herself into his arms. Burying her face into his monk robes, she hugged him tightly.

Tenzin laughed richly and returned the hug. She held on to him for just a moment before pulling back with slight watery grin.

"Let's do this!"

* * *

I just couldn't help myself. I just love Tenzin, and I love Korra. And I love the relationship they have. So some notes before you guys go:

This was written because aside from the fact I love the Hurt/Comfort genre and student/teacher relationships, but I like to play with the vulnerability of the characters. Which in my head, Korra would probably be the most scared and feel the most helpless when she isn't in control.

So imagine my giddiness when I watched episode 4. I was like, "Oh my goooosssh! That's in my story!"

So. I nailed it. Kinda.

Anyway. Thanks for reading this! Leave a review if you're able, love to hear input!

If you're waiting for one of my other stories, I'm so sorry. Updates are coming, I promise. Till next time!


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